The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security on May 20 issued a final rule that revises effective July 1 the Section 232 exclusion process for steel and aluminum imports.
Specifically, the revisions remove 12 General Approved Exclusions that were added in a December 2020 rule and maintained through a December 2021 rule, consisting of six GAEs for steel (GAE.24.S: 7211296080; GAE.43.S: 7209900000; GAE.46.S: 7216330090; GAE.84.S: 7209270000; GAE.90.S: 7216100010; and GAE.93.S: 7208380015) and another six GAEs for aluminum (GAE.1.A: 7609000000; GAE.4.A: 7604210010; GAE.5.A: 7604291010; GAE.9.A: 7601209080; GAE.10.A: 7607116010; and GAE.13.A: 7604295090).
BIS notes that, while the GAEs were originally established to streamline the exclusions process for products consistently found not to be produced in sufficient quantity or quality in the U.S., “reversing previous exemptions that facilitated imports of these metals aims to strengthen our U.S. industrial base and our national security by reducing reliance on foreign manufacturing and enhancing domestic production of steel and aluminum.”
The agency adds that these changes are the culmination of a thorough public engagement process and careful consideration of the public input received on a proposed ruled published in August 2023. According to BIS, the feedback “underscored the necessity of reevaluating specific General Approved Exclusions to uphold the integrity and effectiveness of Section 232 tariffs.”
For more information on Section 232 tariffs and exclusions, please contact attorney Kristen Smith at (202) 730-4965 or via email.
Copyright © 2025 Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.; WorldTrade Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved.